Cat Telecom Warned Of Transmitting Unauthorized Signals

[Jai Dee]

MINISTER SURANAND ADMITTED THAT CAT HAS BEEN WARNED AGAINST TRANSMITTING UNAUTHORIZED SIGNALS, BUT SAID THE COMPANY WAS NOT ORDERED TO CLOSE DOWN MANAGER WEBSITE OR CUT ASTV SIGNAL.

Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Suranand Vejjajiva (สุรนันทน์ เวชชาชีวะ), admitted that he had warned CAT Telecom of transmitting unauthorized signals, but he did not order the company to specifically cut the signal of ASTV and Manager Newspaper website.

Mr. Suranand commented on the report that the Public Relations Department ordered CAT to close down Manager Online website, while CAT cut the signal of ASTV broadcasting mobile Thailand Weekly program in Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) district of Songkhla (สงขลา) yesterday, explaining that the Department has did send a letter warning CAT. He said that the letter followed the government’s policy to execute laws indiscriminately, emphasizing that it is not related to politics. He said that if illegal broadcasting is found, the laws related to broadcasting must be enforced.

Mr. Suranand also added that the websites found to distribute inappropriate sounds and pictures can also be considered as violating the laws. If the websites are later found not to be in violation of the laws, the Information and Communication Technology Ministry (ICT) will consider the case.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

CENSORSHIP GOVT TO BLOCK WEBSITE

Manager site deemed to cause 'social chaos'

The Manager newspaper's website faces being blocked as its news content is considered by the Public Relations Department to be a likely cause of ''social chaos'', a source said yesterday. The Public Relations Department reportedly sent a written document early this week to the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT), asking it to block web surfers from viewing the Manager website, manager.co.th on the grounds its content was deemed a threat to social order.

The website is run by the Manager Daily newspaper that was founded by media firebrand Sondhi Limthongkul. His ''Thailand Weekly'' talk show has exposed alleged irregularities in the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

Mr Thaksin last year filed six legal charges against Mr Sondhi and others, alleging libel, but withdrew them following His Majesty the King's birthday speech warning him not to over-react to critics.

The court ordered the website to remove any news content critical of Mr Thaksin.

The fresh move to block the website reportedly came with a written request from CAT to Internet Solution & Service Provider Co (ISSP), which offers network facilities to the site, the source said.

Last night the website was carrying a warning that it faced imminent closure, accusing the government of an ''act of tyranny'' and urging people to join the Feb 4 rally at Sanam Luang.

The source at ISSP said CAT should not be in a position to block websites. This should only be decided by the National Telecommunications Commission.

The source said blocking websites was a major issue, to be done with caution.

PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva denied he was scapegoating the Manager website. The office did not specifically target the company as its duty was to filter out inappropriate content, regardless of the sources, he said.

A live broadcast of Mr Sondhi's talk show in Trang was also earlier axed. This was not because the government was only targeting his programmes but because Mr Sondhi did not obtain permission for the broadcast, he said.

CAT also cancelled the satellite broadcast of ASTV featuring the ''Thailand Weekly'' talk show, after the Public Relations Department said its broadcasts, run by ThaiDay Dotcom company under Manager Media Group, had violated the law.

Source: Bangkok Post - 26 January 2006

[penzman]

manager.co.th is still accessible but there doesn t seem to be an english version of the site, only a few headlines. Too bad.

[jomama]

Try this:

http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewBrowse.as...owseNewsID=7300

[bulmercke]

Try this:

http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewBrowse.as...owseNewsID=7300

Thanks for the link. Yes, I've visited the manager site a few times lately - it has a good library of images from the recent rallies in Lumpini Park. However, I haven't been able to understand a damned word - as I can't read Thai!

Incidentally, how did you come across this link?

[rstrauss]

It is gettting worse. According to the Nation, CAT will shut down corruptionwatch.net 1st of Feb. Probably also causing 'social chaos'.

Edited January 28, 2006 by rstrauss

[kenk3z]

It seems to me that not paying your taxes on certain large business transactions causes "social disorder" on a material level.

kenk3z

[penzman]

Try this:

http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewBrowse.as...owseNewsID=7300

Thanks for the link!

It's a shame the main website is not translated, it would help him a lot in letting other journos around the world to get more juicy details about what's going on.

[Oishi]

Try this:

http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewBrowse.as...owseNewsID=7300

Thanks for the link!

It's a shame the main website is not translated, it would help him a lot in letting other journos around the world to get more juicy details about what's going on.

They know....

Bangkok, Thailand, January 27, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Thai government's recent moves to disrupt the signal of the satellite-based television news station Asian Satellite TV (ASTV) and to block access to a popular news Web site. Both actions appeared to be aimed in part at veteran journalist and media owner Sondhi Limthongkul, who has been critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government...read more

[penzman]

corruptionwatch.net has been shut down since yesterday but look at what is showing on the page once it opens...

Corruptionwatch.net

Thai site is Under Construction. Please Check back in a few day. Thank you

Aaaaah, face, face, face...

Plug pulled on website tracking graft

Government thought to be behind move

Corruption Watch, a website created to track corruption and scrutinise the government's use of power, has apparently been closed down, less than a day after the team was informed of the site's termination of service.

Visitors to corruptionwatch.net yesterday were met with an ''under construction'' notice.

The webmaster of the site only received a letter on Friday from internet hosting services provider Thaidreamhost, informing the site operators that service would be terminated on Feb1 for reasons that would seem unclear.

Website co-founder Veera Somkwamkid, said the notice came as a surprise to the founders because the website was relatively new and had not caused the service provider any legal problems.

Mr Veera said this would suggest that the hosting company had received an order to close the site down by withdrawing its hosting services.

''We had rented the space for over a month and caused no problems. We pay for the service. The information on the website had not generated any lawsuits,'' he said. ''They haven't given us any reason for halting services so we can only assume that the company has been ordered to terminate our services.'' Formed by respected persons involved in fighting graft, including Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka and Klanarong Chantik, former secretary-general of the National Counter Corruption Commission, the website was launched on Jan 9.

Its launch was hailed as providing an alternative tool for scrutinising alleged abuses of power by the government.

Mr Veera said the government ought to brace itself, since closing down the website would be tantamount to censorship, and the move would backfire. ''The government can't deny us our rights. You should be warned that this kind of pressure won't break us,'' he said.

Mr Klanarong said yesterday that he would rather not make any assumptions and that the founders [of the website] would soon meet to discuss the matter.

''I don't know what's wrong with this country _ it's in chaos,'' he said.

Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, another co-founder, also accused the government of being behind the withdrawal of services to the site. ''This just proves the government lacks sincerity in tackling graft and allowing public participation in the process, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/29Jan2006_news03.php

[penzman]

On tv news today.

The company that hosted www.corruptionwatch.net have apparently decided on their own to pull the website offline since they were afraid of reprisals.